It's Rubbish -- Where Is The Trash Talking?

Just when you think there might be a kindling of hope, a flickering flame that perhaps can be fueled into a raging firestorm of words, Tracy McGrady goes and dumps water all over it.

Did you hear what Charlotte's P.J. Brown said, Tracy? Questioned whether your back was really hurt. Implied you might be sandbagging. He said -- and I quote -- "McGrady, his back, I don't believe that at all. That's a bunch of hogwash. He's still going to get his 30."

What about it, Tracy? Any response?

"I just laughed," McGrady said Friday as the Magic finished preparations for Game 3 of their playoff series with Charlotte today. "P.J.'s a good guy. He didn't mean anything by that."

Added Magic Coach Doc Rivers: "P.J. makes a good point. The way Tracy played Tuesday night, I wouldn't have thought he was injured either."

Can you believe it? We give them an ideal opening to unload on the Hornets, and this is what we get:

P.J.'s a good guy.

P.J. makes a good point.

Where have you gone, George Karl? A reporter turns his lonely ears to you.

Remember last year when the Magic played Karl's Milwaukee Bucks in the playoffs? Remember that wonderful battle of the barbs between Karl and Rivers? Karl claimed Rivers only got an NBA head-coaching job because of his "style and spin coming out of the TV booth." Rivers called Karl a "whiner." McGrady referred to Bucks star Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson as "Puppy Dog." And Robinson responded by calling McGrady "She-Mac."

There was talk of retribution and retaliation. There was rhetoric about flagrant fouls and an eye for an eye. There was even T-Mac "guaranteeing" the Magic would steal a game in Milwaukee.

And what do we get this year?

P.J.'s a good guy.

P.J. makes a good point.

Sorry, but this just won't do. I can't get anybody to talk any trash this year. Not the players, who all seem to like each other. Not the coaches, who both seem to respect each other. Not even the mayors of the two cities have made one of those cheesy wagers. (We bet a box of Orlando's most plentiful resource -- $3.99 "Ask Us About Our Grandkids" T-shirts -- against a box of Charlotte's most precious commodity -- naked-lady mud flaps.)

Believe it or not, I can't even get my esteemed counterpart, Charlotte Observer columnist Tom Sorensen, to write a column ripping our city.

"I'm really looking forward to coming down and spending some time in Orlando," Sorensen said the other night.

The shame of it.

Is just a little trash talking too much to ask? Nothing profane or belligerent; just some good-natured jabs and jabbering. Let's not forget, some of our greatest athletes have been talkers.

Muhammad Ali: "This may shock and amaze ya, but I will destroy Joe Frazier."